The branch that abides in the vine provides no access to the influence of the wicked one. He keeps himself, and the wicked one cannot touch him, any more than the wicked one can now touch Jesus. External temptations can be launched intensely and repeatedly at this man, this branch; but with every temptation there is given a way out. There is no internal route for corruption to enter for the one who remains in the vine; for in Christ we have escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

The time for being conformed to this pattern of corruption is long past. A decisive translation has already taken place from the kingdom of darkness over into the reign of the Son of the Father’s love. There must be proof in the earth today just how perfect and acceptable and pleasing God’s will is. Just as Christ was transfigured on the holy mountain before Peter, James, John, Moses and Elijah; so we are instantaneously transformed and transfigured (the exact same greek word metamorphoo) according to the renewing of our minds.

The progression of the redeemed saint is not from wretched man (through a slow painful process of purging “the flesh”) up to a final perfection in death. The circumcision of Christ takes care of that instantaneously the moment we believe to salvation.

The progression is from glory to glory, it is a growth in grace; a communion of gazing on Christ that results in an ever-intensified transformation into his very likeness. It is the life of the Spirit demonstrating consistent and increasingly glorious dominance over the dead works of the body of sin. It is every thought captive, it is every high thought or imagination against the knowledge of God brought immediately into subjection; it is the dynamic thoughts of the God revealed and communicated to us by the Spirit!